On The Self-Cultivation Of A Favored Concubine - Chapter 78

In the garden of the front palace, the snow white magnolias were in early bloom. The branches were heavy with blossoms, stretching out like a sea of snow. A gentle breeze blew, and the tender white petals fluttered down, landing on the little Empress who was stumbling through her first steps beneath the trees.

A-Yin wore a light purple small ruqun (traditional jacket and skirt). Her little phoenix eyes were clear and clean, and her cheeks were incredibly fair and tender. Her tiny fingers were tucked into her mother’s hand as she worked hard to move her little feet forward.

Three snow white little Feifei (mythical cat like creatures) circled her curiously, following her every move. They mimicked her pace like a group of tiny drunken kittens, their feline steps wobbling and unsteady.

Liu Qinglan had no choice but to walk over and pick them up one by one. Placing them on a desk, she held a small branch and pointed at them, saying fiercely, “You aren’t allowed to disturb your sister while she’s learning to walk. Every single one of you, sit still.”

“Meow~” The three acted obediently, looking at their mother with innocent cat faces and blinking their sparkling eyes.

Liu Qinglan originally intended to scold them further, but seeing those bright eyes, her anger vanished instantly. She couldn’t help but reach out and stroke their small heads.

Beside them, the little Empress reached out and tightly gripped the hem of Liu Qinglan’s skirt, afraid she wouldn’t be able to stand steady and might fall.

After finishing her lecture to the three kittens, Liu Qinglan squatted down again, supporting the little Empress’s hand, and spoke in a gentle voice. “Come, Mother will lead you.”

The little Empress was still very unsteady. Every step required a great deal of courage. Her little phoenix eyes widened slightly as she looked at the green brick path covered in magnolia petals.

LuoLuo licked her paw while squinting at her sister, who was hesitating and failing to take a step. She meowed a few times toward her mother.

Caught off guard, Liu Qinglan forgot human speech for a moment and blurted out a few “meows” in response.

The large one and the small ones meowed back and forth for a bit before Liu Qinglan pondered and nodded. “Fine, we’ll use your method.”

At LuoLuo’s command, the three kittens jumped off the desk in unison and ran to stand opposite the little Empress.

Watching them move, Liu Qinglan waved them slightly closer. “Your sister isn’t like you, she can’t walk fast.”

“Alright.” LuoLuo led Xiaobai and Chu’er a few feline steps closer.

Liu Qinglan turned her head, a smile on her face as she coaxed, “A-Yin, as long as you can walk over to your sisters, you can hold them and play.”

A-Yin’s little phoenix eyes brightened instantly. She knew what it felt like to hold her sisters soft, warm, and fluffy.

However, she didn’t know how to control her strength yet. Sometimes she would accidentally pull their fur, so Xiaobai and the others weren’t usually keen on being held by her, as it often meant “owies.”

But for the sake of helping their sister learn to walk quickly, so she could eventually run, jump, and take them out to play, they were willing to sacrifice themselves just a little bit.

With the three fluffy sisters right in front of her, the little Empress suddenly found her courage and began to tentatively move her tiny feet.

The magnolias on the branches were in full bloom, petals drifting down. Finally, the little Empress in her light purple skirt stumbled her way to her sisters and lunged forward into a pounce.

Liu Qinglan sat on the edge of the desk, legs dangling, watching with great interest as the little Empress sat directly on the ground, holding Chu’er in her arms while Xiaobai and LuoLuo sprawled across her knees.

It had been a long time since the little Empress had held them. This time, they didn’t resist and were willing to let her embrace them. She broke into a grin, her fingers clutching Chu’er’s snow white fur while her other hand grabbed LuoLuo’s tail, nearly leaning in to take a little nibble.

As Liu Qinglan was enjoying the scene, she felt a familiar scent beside her.

She turned her head to see that Xie Xuanzhao had come out at some point. She patted the spot next to her on the desk, signaling her to sit, but Xie Xuanzhao didn’t. Instead, she reached out, wrapped her arms around the “Liu-Elf’s” now slender waist, and lifted her down from the table.

Liu Qinglan’s face flushed as she gave a playful, coy rebuke: “Our daughter is right there!” Though in her heart, she was feeling incredibly sweet.

“It’s fine,” the Great Beauty Xie replied calmly, her hand remaining on her wife’s waist.

A-Yin held her three sisters, rubbing her face against their fluffy, soft fur, laughing uncontrollably. The three little Feifei lay on her, patting with their paws and wagging their tails, enjoying their sister’s warmth.

After lunch, the little ones were ushered to bed for a nap.

Liu Qinglan and Yan Mo stood guard, coaxing them for a long time until they finally fell asleep.

Only then did Yan Mo speak: “The Young Miss is waiting.”

Liu Qinglan saw the teasing smile on Yan Mo’s face. A blush crept onto her fair cheeks, but she said nothing, merely lifting her skirt and heading out.

Just as she stepped out of the sleeping quarters, before the “Liu-Elf” could even react, she was swept up by her waist, her skirt billowing over the other person’s arms.

Xie Xuanzhao looked at her with a smile. “Mother Liu, you’ve worked hard today.”

Liu Qinglan’s face turned crimson as she whispered, “Why… why aren’t you reading memorials?”

“After what you said yesterday, if I didn’t show some initiative, wouldn’t I be letting you down?” Xie Xuanzhao’s shimmering phoenix eyes grew deeper. “However, the memorials still need to be looked at.”

“Ah, you want to…” Liu Qinglan feigned surprise, though she was internally quite thrilled.

Just thinking about it felt so scandalous~

Xie Xuanzhao carried her, wearing a half-smile, all the way to the front hall and into the vast, empty Great Hall.

The hall where morning court was held was vast and silent. The exquisitely crafted Dragon Throne sat prominently at the top. Golden and shimmering, it radiated majesty.

The “Liu-Elf” was placed onto the Dragon Throne.

Liu Qinglan covered her eyes with both hands, her face too red to look at the beautiful Empress Consort before her, who was slowly and methodically loosening her clothing.

Seeing her shy yet expectant look, the smile on Xie Xuanzhao’s lips deepened.

“Last night, you held me and said you wanted this during the day too. I thought it was strange, but then I saw the magnolias, camellias, and poppies blooming outside, and I realized…” Xie Xuanzhao leaned in close, her breath like orchids. “Ah, it turns out spring has arrived.”

Having her secret discovered, the little Liu-Elf let out a “meow-wu” of embarrassment. Though her expression was shy, her body was very proactive as she stepped forward to embrace the Great Beauty Xie.

Her snowy white legs rested on the armrests of the Dragon Throne. Under the warm afternoon spring sun, they appeared as delicate and white as fine jade.

Later, Xie Xuanzhao experienced the full passion of a Feifei in springtime. Sometimes it was in the garden beneath the begonia trees, petals covering white skin in a charming and seductive display, sometimes it was in the bath, water splashing everywhere and sometimes it was at the desk, pushing aside the cumbersome rice paper and ink brushes.

And so, amidst the heat of sweat and heavy breathing, Xie Xuanzhao and Liu Qinglan spent a spring filled with blooming flowers.

During this time, the little Empress finally managed to let go of the supports and walk on her own.

Knowing their fur would no longer be pulled, the three little Feifei became exceptionally enthusiastic. They circled the little Empress, tugging at her skirt and looking at her with puppy-dog eyes. Sister, when can you take us out to play!